Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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My 11 year old Boykin Spaniel will become a tripod tomorrow. Synovial Cell Sarcoma in his rear hock has brought us to amputation. Any advice or warnings would be much appreciated.
Welcome! Sorry to hear about your pup, what's his name?
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Forums search results for 'Synovial Cell Sarcoma' (78)
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Best wishes for a speedy recovery! Please keep us posted.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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Sorry you find yourself here, but, under the circumstances, there is no better place ro be!
You've made the decision that gives your sweet pup the best chance at a quality and pain free life! A life full of more spoiling and loving that either of you dreamed possible!!
Recovery is no picnic! Every dog is different though! My Happy Hannah, a 125 lb all heart Bull Mastiff, had her rear leg amputated due to oseteosarcoma. Most dogs are getting their sparkle back pretty consistently after two weeks. It took about three weeks before I finally could see I was doing this FOR my beloved Happy Hannah and not TO her!
There may be a lot of restlessness at first, some whining and crying. My Happy Hannah ate fine, but didn't want to drink water! It took a bit of adjusting the pain meds to get her the right doses spaced properly. Most dogs here are on Tramadol, Gabapentin and Rimadyl and an antibiotic. Popping may be "on hold" for a few days because of all the meds....no biggie.
Most dogs, not all, are up and walking within 24 hrs. after surgery. Some need help with a sling (a towel works fine). Happy Hannah woukd just stand still if I tried using a sling so she did better without.
If you have hardwood floors you'll want to put down non-slip scatter rugs for traction ....raised food and water bowls if your pup is large.
If you have a lot of steps to go in and out, a ramp is probably going to be needed. Rear leggers can usually go DOWN stairs okay, but going UP puts a lot of stress on their back leg and is lretty hard for them.
When you pick your pup up, don't even look at the incision! Just look j nto his eyes and praise him/her and tell her what a good girl/boy he is!! He'll be so happy to see you!
Remembe, your pup doesn't care about any ole stupid diagnosis or statistics! He is living in the NOW and not worrying about a thing! Use him as your role model. We call that BEING MORE DOG around here! LET NOTHING ROB YOU OF YOUR TIME TOGETHER!!!!
Stay connected to us and let us know how we can help. You are not alone!
Can't wait to hear more about your pup and see pictures too!!
Try and get some rest before you bring him home...you may have some sleepless nights!
Hugs to all!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
I'm sorry for what you are going through. The advice above was what kept me sane the first week. Be positive, be patient, and be informed. These folks will help you through this! We are at 1 month post op (today!) and I know now we made the right decision---yes, the first week is hard (and scary) but you are not alone. Good luck and speedy healing!
I agree - the resources on here are so wonderful!
Some small things I would add/reemphasize is that each dog's recovery is unique. Watch closely and don't be afraid to ask questions. The doses of meds may not be exactly right at first or the right combination. Trust your gut, but know that each day is different and in a few weeks, things will look much different than the first few days!
We also tried very hard not to be nervous or sad, but just encouraging as she got her feet underneath her so to speak. They pick up on our emotions and I think making sure I wasn't nervous helped her not be nervous!
And yes, the first week is hard. You'll get through it! And dogs, they aren't like humans. Your pup will just be ready to keep on keeping on.
Costco is great for rugs with rubber backing and are washable!
The magnificent Duchess, our Great Dane, brought us here. Diagnosed early July, 2014, Duchess had her front, left amp a week later. She handled her four rounds of carboplantin like a champ. She earned her wings late January 2015. A royal reincarnated into a wee-dane, she was bursting with personality and demands. We miss her a lot and are very thankful for the time we had with her. We welcomed a new rescue Dane into the family in March - Maverick! We're thankful he doesn't realize we'd meet all his demands if he put them out there.
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